Dec 15, 2023

Avatar" VFX Workers File for Unionization Election with National Labor Relations Board

Eighty-three VFX workers at Lightstorm Entertainment, led by James Cameron, best known for his work on the film Avatar, have filed a union organizing vote with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

The Lightstorm workers are the first U.S. vendor-side VFX artists to formally file a unionization election request with the NLRB. [According to the IATSE release, the workers' main concerns are affordable health care, sustainable benefits, and a living wage. This group includes workers from the company's entire VFX department, including stage, environment, render, postvis, sequence, turnover, and kabuki.

Christopher Cornejo, Lightstorm's lead asset technical director, explained why he wanted to join the union:

In March 2023, I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. It is a disease that I will have to live with for the rest of my life, full of doctor visits and medications. Despite all of this, I am fortunate to be able to maintain my health and work in a career that I value very much. But many people in this industry, and even within this studio, are not so lucky. My purpose in forming a union here is to ensure that all of us have access to affordable health care, benefits, and livable wages so that we can continue to take care of ourselves physically and mentally while working in one of the most enjoyable and rewarding fields on earth. After years of working on projects like the [Avatar] sequel, my colleagues are just as accessible. All of my colleagues have dedicated so much time, creativity, and passion to making these films a reality. So when I see them struggling to cover their health insurance premiums, being overworked because they have taken on multiple roles, or cutting back on their salaries, I ...... I can't remain silent. We VFX workers are not replaceable and should be protected. We can unite and do better.

"Avatar: Waterways" was released by Disney on December 16, 2022 and grossed $2.3 billion at the box office.

Regardless of the Lightstorm workers' unionization efforts, the majority of VFX artists working on the Avatar film remain non-union. Weta FX in New Zealand is the film's primary VFX studio, and its workers are not unionized.

IATSE has seen a significant influx of VFX workers seeking to unionize this year. Lighthouse employees are seeking union representation, along with in-house VFX workers at Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, and employees at DNEG Vancouver.

According to Matthew D. Loeb, president of IATSE International,

we are on the threshold of a new era in the VFX industry. An era in which all workers are valued, their contributions are recognized, and their rights are rigorously protected. This moment is a beacon for the entire industry.